This invention relates to a camera mounting apparatus for mounting a camera to a supporting structure such as an automobile window, and more particularly to such an apparatus which permits instantaneous reorientation of the camera's positional attitude between horizontal and vertical formats.
Most photographic film is segmented into rectangular frames typically having one side of the frame longer than the adjacent sides. The photographer chooses whether to orient the photographic frame vertically, with the long side of the frame vertical, or horizontally based upon a variety of factors. The frame orientation is typically accomplished by physically manipulating the camera into the desired frame orientation. Many photographic opportunities encountered in wildlife photography or at sporting events require that the photographic frame be rapidly and surely reoriented ninety degrees (90.degree.) while simultaneously focusing, aiming, or performing other photographic adjustments. With a hand-held camera such rapid reorientation of the photographic frame is easily accomplished by rotation of the camera 90.degree. about its focal axis, but when the camera is securely mounted upon a supporting structure, reorientation of the photographic frame may present more difficulty. The present invention provides a solution to such a problem.
Many other practitioners in this art have approached this problem. Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,098, Yeates, U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,583, Minnis, U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,691, Sloop, U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,150, Korling, U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,452, and Eckler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,110,292, all disclose an apparatus capable of reorienting the photographic frame of a camera 90.degree. to convert from a horizontal to a vertical format or conversely. The devices of Minnis and Jones have the significant disadvantage of including some type of clamping means which must be released and re-engaged when changing the positional attitude of the camera. Yeates has an even greater disadvantage in that it is necessary for the photographer to physically hold the camera in the desired position. All of the other references cited above, Sloop, Korling and Eckler, employ a frictional pivot bearing which allows reorientation of the camera yet holds the camera in the desired positional attitude.
The present invention provides a camera mounting apparatus capable of instantaneous 90.degree. reorientation of the camera's photographic frame without the inconvenience inherent in a clamping arrangement and without employing a frictional pivot bearing.